When Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons sent a cast of 15 models down the fall 2026 Prada runway, each wearing four looks that transformed in real time, the message was clear: It-items with a single-season shelf life are out; pieces you can return to time and time again are in. You might assume that mantra applies only to wardrobe heroes in neutral tones—a pair of tailored black trousers, say—but there’s also something to be said for the spicy little extras you can keep stashed on a shelf, ready to make an otherwise ordinary outfit zing.
Princess Diana at a public appearance in February 1985.
Photo: Getty Images
One woman who knew the power of a sartorial secret weapon was Princess Diana, who, among the Lady Dior handbags, Catherine Walker coat dresses and endless stacks of retro sweatshirts, owned a pair of red boots that could instantly transform an outfit. They added a head-turning flavour to her more formal looks—demure white roll-necks and pleated skirts, or royal engagement-appropriate cream coats with puffed shoulders—but also helped pull together some of her most moodboarded outfits of the ’80s: ballooning joggers topped with a Sloaney navy blazer and baseball cap.
Gabriela Hearst, Fall/Winter 2026/2027
Photo: Andrea Adriani
Hermès, Fall/Winter 2026/2027
Photo: Launchmetrics.com
Isabel Marant, Fall/Winter 2026/2027
Photo: Launchmetrics.com
